Lyana
The Arabic feminine name meaning "soft, tender, gentle".
Name Census estimates that about 862 living Americans carry the first name Lyana. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Lyana today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Lyana births was 2019 (56 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Lyana. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
862
~ 1 in 397,627 Americans
Peak year
2019
56 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,350
Tracked since 1971
Popularity
Lyana: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Lyana from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 309 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Lyana remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lyana by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Lyana during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Lyanas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 6 states and territories. California, Texas, Florida recorded the most babies named Lyana, while Ohio, New Jersey, New York recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 33 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Lyana
The name Lyana is believed to have its origins in the Slavic languages, particularly Russian. It is a feminine variation of the name Liana, which is derived from the Greek word "leianos," meaning "smooth" or "calm." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with a serene or tranquil nature.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lyana can be traced back to the 17th century, when it appeared in historical records from the Russian Empire. During this period, the name was relatively uncommon, but it gained popularity in the following centuries, particularly among the Russian nobility and aristocracy.
In the 19th century, the name Lyana became more widespread across Eastern Europe, with notable individuals bearing the name. One such figure was Lyana Ivanovna Bogdanova (1815-1892), a Russian philanthropist and patron of the arts, who established several charitable organizations and supported the development of cultural institutions in St. Petersburg.
As the name spread beyond its Slavic origins, it also gained recognition in other parts of the world. In the late 19th century, Lyana Petrovna Sokolova (1872-1947) was a renowned Russian ballerina who performed with the Imperial Ballet in St. Petersburg and later became a celebrated teacher, mentoring several generations of dancers.
In the early 20th century, the name Lyana made its way to the Middle East, where it gained popularity among certain communities. One notable figure was Lyana Al-Khouri (1901-1978), a Lebanese writer and activist who advocated for women's rights and education in the region.
Another prominent individual with the name Lyana was Lyana Vynohradova (1925-2007), a Ukrainian painter and artist who gained recognition for her vibrant and expressive works, which often depicted scenes from Ukrainian folklore and rural life.
While the name Lyana has its roots in the Slavic cultures, it has transcended geographical boundaries and has been embraced by diverse communities around the world, each adding their own cultural nuances and interpretations to its meaning and significance.
People
Lyana + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Lyana as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Lyana: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Lyana?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 862 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Lyana going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 397,627 US residents.
Is Lyana a common name?
We classify Lyana as "Very Rare". It ranks above 89.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 873 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Lyana most popular?
The single biggest year for Lyana was 2019, when 56 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Lyana is about 15 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Lyana a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Lyana in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.